Holly Myfield BA (Hons) MBACP (Accred)

My name is Holly and I am a qualified and Accredited Humanistic Therapist. I am experienced in many areas, but have a particular specialism in working with depression, stress and anxiety, especially related to work and relationships. I have specific experience of working with men with depression, and always keep some sessions reserved for those who need to be seen quickly. I am currently undertaking an MSc in Autism and related Neurodevelopmental issues, such as ADHD, and work a great deal with those on the Autism spectrum, such as those with Asperger's, or considering a diagnosis.

What you can expect of me

I hold on to the following beliefs when working with you:

Hope

Acceptance

Compassion

Respect

I will offer you a safe place to express your feelings, thoughts and felt senses in order to explore with you a new way of being in the world that better suits you. I work hard to walk with you on your journey and accept you as you are. I will share my experiences of you in the here and now and listen without judgement to any issues you bring. I want to be helpful to you, and will ask you to reflect on what is going well in our sessions that we could do more of, and what might not be working so we can work more effectively together.

My outlook and experience

I come from an educational and academic publishing background, publishing books, journals and websites in Science, Childhood Studies and Special Needs. As such I have worked with organisations such as AQA, the NSPCC and the British Dyslexia Association. In 2009 I was made redundant and decided to pursue my love of philosophy, psychology and counselling. I studied at the University of Chichester for a Certificate, Diploma and now Degree in Humanistic Counselling. I have over a decade of experience working with schools and universities, and also work with the local community in Adult Education. I have worked with many different clients from a variety of ethnic, religious and social backgrounds. I value and respect you and your life experiences.

Whilst I have flourished when I felt appreciated, confident and loved, I know what it is like to feel undervalued, sad and lonely. I will work hard with you to figure out the way you want to be and how you can draw on your own experiences and strengths to achieve this in a way that suits you best. As a Humanistic therapist my work is grounded in a philosophy of empathy, acceptance and faith in your ability to change and grow towards your full potential.

Meeting for the first time

I offer a free assessment so we can meet each other and discuss your needs. I am happy for you to ask questions, and will have some of my own to help us figure out if we can work together. You do not have to decide during our first meeting if you want to work with me. I am happy to provide you with any information you need and you can make a decision in your own time. Take a look at my Assessment Video to find out more about what happens at an Assessment session.

How we might work together

Our sessions are led by you. I work in a variety of ways with clients depending on what they need and want. I will help you figure this out, if you aren't sure. Some clients choose to use their sessions to talk and explore their feelings, thoughts and relationships. Talking is a very human way of approaching problems, and can be very helpful. Sometimes, we can't find the words, or the words we can find aren't satisfying. For this reason, I also value working creatively with painting, drawing, sand trays and writing. Some clients choose to do this, and some prefer other ways of working. I believe we are all creative individuals adapting and surviving as best we can, and using our creativity in therapy is a very human and gentle way to approach painful, confusing or conflicting issues. Working creatively is not about producing great works of art or masterpieces; it is about using your creativity to access parts of yourself that maybe words alone can't quite reach.

I find some frameworks such as Transactional Analysis, or TA, helpful. TA looks at how we interact with others based on unconscious rules, roles or stories we have formed about ourselves and others. Whilst these 'scripts' might have been really helpful to us as children, as adults we can repeat unhelpful patterns that lead to poor relationships, anxiety and a feeling of helplessness. If you often find yourself in familiar situations with familiar 'types' of people, feel like you are reacting rather than choosing your actions or are confused about some of the choices you are making, TA might be a useful framework to work with.

"Freedom is what we do with what's been done to us"Jean-Paul Sartre

I am also a pupil of Existentialist Therapies, having trained first as a philosopher myself. Many of our anxieties can be linked to fears of responsibility, meaninglessness, loneliness and death. Whilst this approach might seem a bit depressing at first, I believe that if we can take responsibility for our own lives, decide how we want to manage the truth of our separateness and togetherness with the rest of humanity, including our ultimate ending, we can decide to place our own meaning on life, take hold of our destiny and live freely and happily. We all do this in different ways, and I would love to sit with you and figure out how you want to do this for yourself.

As a professional counsellor, I ensure my skills, knowledge and personal effectiveness is kept up to date by regularly attending courses to support my Continuing Professional Development (CPD). I am in regular Supervision, which means I discuss my professional work with a BACP Senior Accredited Supervisor in order to maintain the highest level of care for my clients. Clients are referred to anonymously, and Supervision is strictly confidential.